Terminal block cover



April 1966 v. ORZECHOWSKI 3,247,480

TERMINAL BLOCK COVER Filed July 1, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. VICTOR ORZECHOWSKI April 5 1966 v. ORZECHOWSKI 3,247,480

TERMINAL BLOCK COVER Filed July 1, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

VICTOR ORZECHOWSKI United States Patent 3,247,480 TERMINAL BLOCK COVER Victor Orzechowski, Jersey City, N.J., assignor to Buchanan Electrical Products Corporation, Hillside, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed July 1, 1963, Ser. No. 291,883 4 Claims. (Cl. 339-198) similar sections that have sides with complementary configurations so that the sections may be nested together to form the completed terminal block assembly. Terminal block assemblies of this type are described and illustrated in detail in US. Patents Nos. 2,981,923 (now Re. 25,446) and 3,019,408, issued on April 25, 1961, and January 30, 1962, respectively, to George Ustin. While these terminal block assemblies are quite satisfactory for most uses, it is sometimes desirable to provide the electrical connections in these assemblies with adequate protective covering, Prior-art terminal block covers leave something to be desired from the standpoint of convenience of accessibility to the electrical connections, ease of gauging together two or more covers, the need for tools for inserting and removing covers, and the ease of identifying the structure covered.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to pro- 'vide an improved cover for use in combination with a terminal block assembly wherein the cover may be pivoted for rotation from either side of the assembly to provide easy and convenient access to the terminal connections therein.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved terminal block cover that has provisions for being ganged easily to one or more similar covers, as desired.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide and improved cover that may be inserted on, and removed from, a terminal block assembly easily and quickly without the use of tools, thereby eliminating the danger of electric shock and short circuits.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved terminal block cover that may be manufactured from a transparent insulating material in order to permit the visualization of indicia located underneath the cover.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved terminal block cover of the type described that is relatively simple in structure, easy and inexpensive to manufacture, and yet highly efficient in use.

Briefly, the improved terminal block cover of the present invention is adapted for use in combination with a terminal block assembly of the type comprising a plurality of similar mating sections. The improved cover comprises a substantially rectangular strip of insulating material that has two pairs of resilient arcuate fingers at each of its opposite ends. Each pair of arcuate fingers defines an open ended loop and is adapted to snap over and to engage a stud for pivotal movement thereabout. A pair of studs extends laterally fiom each of a pair of opposite sides of each section for engaging pairs of the arcuate fingers of the cover in a manner to support the cover over terminal connecting means between adjacent sections of the terminal block assembly. The cover is thus pivoted for rotation about each of two opposite ends. The cover may also be provided with a separate pair of gauging, arcuate fingers between the aforementioned two pairs of arcuate fingers at each end of the cover. Each pair of gauging, arcuate fingers comprises an open-ended loop that is adapted to snap over and to engage a rod to which a plurality of other similar covers may be connected. Thus, a plurality of covers may be inserted on, or removed from, the terminal block assembly simultaneously. When constructed from transparent plastic material, the cover permits the observation of the terminal connections and indicia beneath the cover.

The novel features of the present invention, as well as additional objects and advantages thereof, both as to its organization and method of operation, will be understood in detail from the following description, when considered in connection with the accompaning drawings, in which similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the combination of a terminal block assembly and two improved covers hinged thereto, showing the covers in a ganged position and each cover pivoted on only one of its ends about studs on the terminal block assembly;

H6. 2 is a side elevational view of the combination of the terminal block assembly illustrated in FIG. 1, but with both ends of the ganged covers fixed to the terminal block assembly;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the combination of the terminal block assembly and ganged covers shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the improved, symmetrically formed terminal block cover of the present invention.

Referring now particularly to the drawings, there is shown a terminal block assembly 10 of the type adapted for use in combination with one or more improved covers 12 of the present invention. The terminal block assembly 19 comprises a plurality of substantially similar sections 14 of insulating material, preferably a molded plastic material. Each of the sections 14 has opposite sides 16 and 18 that have portions with complementary configurations so that the sections 14 can be nested together to form the terminal block assembly 10, as explained in the aforementioned patents, supra.

Each section 14 comprises a base portion 20 for sup porting a terminal connecting means 21. Each terminal connecting means 21 comprises a rectangular frame member 22 fixed to the base 20, by any suitable means, and formed with threaded openings for receiving slotted head screws 24 therein. Electrical connections (not shown) are made in the terminal block assembly 10 by means of electrical connectors or conductors (not shown) that are adapted to be secured between the rectangular frame member 22 and the screw 24, in a manner well known in the art.

A wall portion 25, including portions of the sides 16 and 13, extends upwardly perpendicularly from each base portion 20 in each section 14. The wall portion 26 provides means for supporting a pair of spaced-apart studs 28 and 30, extending laterally from one side 18 thereof and another pair of spaced-apart studs 32 and 34 extending laterally from the opposite side 16 thereof. and 32 on opposite sides 18 and i the wall 26, respec tiveiy, are in linear alignment with each other, and the studs 3% and 34 on opposite sides 18 and 16 of the wall 26, respectively, are also in linear alignment with each other. The studs 28, 39, 32 and 34 are disposed to function, in pairs, as pivot pins about which the cover 12 may be rotated in a manner to be hereinafter described.

An upper portion 36 in each section 14 extends laterally from the side 16 of each section 14. The upper surface of the upper portion 36 is parallel to the upper surface of the base portion 20 and may be provided with indica,

The studs 28 'such as numerals l, 2, 3, and 4, for example, to indicate the particular section 14 in the terminal block assembly 10. Since additional details of the terminal block assembly 10 are described in the aforementioned patents, and since these details form no part of the instant invention, they will not be described in detail herein; reference being had to the aforementioned patents.

"Cover means are provided to cover the terminal connecting means 21 on the base 29 of each section 14. To :this end, the symmetrically formed cover 12 has two pairs of arcuate fingers, one pair being fingers 4i) and 41 and the other pair being fingers 42 and 43, depending downwardly from one end L of the substantiaily rectangular cover 12. "Two pairs of arcuate fingers, one pair being fingers 44 and 45, and another pair (not shown, but parallel to the pair ot arcuate fingers 44 and 45 and bearing the same relation ifthereto as the pair of fingers 42 and 43 bear to the pair of 'fingers 40 and 41) depend from the other end R of the cover 12. Each pair of arcuate fingers, such as the arcuate fingers 40 and 41, for example, comprises an open ended loop adapted to engage and retain a stud, such as the stud 32, for example, for pivotal rotation thereabout.

The cover 12 can be inserted over the terminal connecting means 21, between adjacent walls 26, by pushing the cover 12 downwardly so that the pairs of arcuate fingers 4t} and 41, 42 and 43, 44 and 45 snap over and engage the studs 32, 28 and 34, respectively. The additional pair of arcuate fingers (not shown), depending from the side R of the cover 12, is adapted to engage stud 30.

Means are provided to gang a plurality of covers 12 together to provide protective covering for the terminal connecting means 21 on each base 24) of each section 14. To this end, ganging means extend outwardly from the ends L and R of the cover 12. Thus, a pair of relatively wide, ganging, arcuate fingers 59 and 51 extend outwardly from the end L of the cover 12 between the two pairs of -downwardly extending arcuate fingers 40 and 41 and 42 and 43. A pair of relatively wide, ganging, arcuate fingers 552 and 53 extend outwardly from the side R of the cover 12 between the two pairs of downwardly extending arcuate fingers 44 and 45 and another pair (not shown).

In operation, each cover 12 may be rotated about either of the two pairs of arcuate fingers depending from the corners of either of its sides L or R, thereby perm'tting the covers 12 to be separated from either of the opposite sides of the terminal block assembly 10. In FiG. l, for example, two covers 12 are shown ganged together by means of a rod 54, disposed between the ganging, arcuate lfingers t) and 51 (in each cover 12), and a rod 55, disposed between the ganging, arcuate fingers 52 and 53 (in each cover 12). Thus, a plurality of covers 12, either adjacent to each other or separated by one or more sections from each other, may be ganged together, if desired.

These features permit easy and rapid access to the terminal connecting means 21 for installation and maintenance purposes. When it is desired to remove one or more covers 12 from the terminal block assembly 10, each cover 12 is merely pulled upwardly to disengage its corner pairs of arcuate fingers from the studs on the walls 26. When the material of the cover 12 is transparent, the terminal connecting means 21, as well as the indicia on the upper portion 36 of each section 14, may be visually observed through the cover 12, thereby facilitating maintenance :and installation procedures.

Thus, there has been described an improved terminal lock cover having features that enable it to be ganged together with other covers for easy insertion and removal, Without tools, from a terminal block assembly of a plurality of similar sections. Many changes in the details of the disclosed embodiment of this invention may be made without departing from the invention.

Accordingly, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative and is not to be considered in a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

1. in a terminal block assembly of the type comprising a plurality of similar sections of insulating materials, each section having first and second sides opposite to each other, said first and said second sides having portions with complementary configurations so that said sectIons may be nested together to form said block assembly, each of said sections having, between said first and said second sides, a base portion and a wall portion extending perpendicularly from said base portion, and terminal connecting means fixed to said base portion; a cover comprising a substantially rectangular strip of insulating material having a separate pair af arcuate fingers depending from each of its corners on the same side of said rectangular strip, a pair of studs extending laterally from each of said first and said second sides of each of said sections at said wall portion, said cover being adapted to be disposed over said terminal connecting means and between adjacent wall portions of adjacent ones of said sections, each of said pairs of arcuate fingers being adapted to engage a separate one of said studs, and a separate pair of ganging, arcuate fingers extending outwardly from opposite ends of said strip and being disposed between two pairs of said arcuate fingers depending from adjacent corners, said gang'ng, arcuate fingers comprising means to receive a rod therebetween w ereby a plurality of said covers may be ganged together.

2. In a terminal block assembly of the type comprising a plurality of similar sections of insulating material, each section having first and second sides opposite to each other, said first and said second sides having portions with complementary configurations so that said sections may be nested together to form said block assembly, each of said sections having, between said first and said second sides and including portions thereof, a base p:rtion and a wall portion extending perpendicularly from said base portion, and terminal connecting means fixed to said base portion; a cover comprising a strip of insulating material having two pairs of arcuate fingers depending from the same side of said strip from each of two opposite ends thereof, a pair of studs extending laterally from each of said first and said second sides of each of said sections at said wall portion, said cover being adapted to be disposed over said terminal connecting means and between said first side of one of said sections and said second side of an adjacent one of said sections, each of said pairs of arcuate fingers being adapted to snap over and to engage a separate one of said studs, and a separate pair of ganging, arcuate fingers extending outwardly from each of said opposite ends of said strip, each of said separate ganging, arcuate fingers comprising means to receive a rod therebetween whereby a plurality of said covers may be gauged together, and said strip of insulating material being transparent whereby to permit a view of parts covered by said cover.

3. In combination, a terminal block assembly comprising a plurality of substantially similar sections, each of said sections having opposite sides with portions of complementary configurations so that said sections may be nested together, each of said sections having, between said opposite sides thereof, a base portion and a wall portion extending transversely therefrom, each of said wall portions having two pairs of studs extending laterally from said opposite sides thereof, a cover comprising a substantially rectangular strip of plastic material, a separate pair of arcuate fingers depending from each corner of said rectangular strip, said cover being adapted to be disposed between adjacent wall portions of adjacent ones of said sections, each of said arcuate fingers being adapted to snap onto and to engage a separate one of said studs, a separate pair of ganging, arcuate fingers extending outwardly from at least one of the ends of said strip, said pair of ganging, arcuate fingers comprising an open-ended loop for snapping onto a rod and engaging said rod therein, whereby a plurality of said covers may be ganged together.

4. In. combination, a terminal block assembly comprising a plurality of substantially similar sections, each of said sections having opposite sides With portions of complementary configurations so that said sections may be nested together, each of said sections having, between said opposite sides thereof, a base portion and a wall portion extending perpendicularly therefrom, each of said wall portions having two pairs of studs extending laterally from said opposite sides, a cover comprising a strip of transparent plastic material, two pairs of arcuate fingers depending from each of two opposite ends of said strip, said cover being adapted to be disposed between adjacent Wall portions of adjacent ones of said sections, each of said arcuate fingers being adapted to snap onto and to engage a separate one of said studs, a separate pair of ganging, arcuate fingers extending outwardly from each of said References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1958 Blanchet 339198 11/1964 Lanczi 339198 JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner.

ends of said strip, each of said pairs of ganging, arcuat-e 15 ALFRED S. TRASK, Examiner. 

3. IN COMBINATION, A TERMINAL BLOCK ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR SECTIONS, EACH OF SAID SECTIONS HAVING OPPOSITE SIDES WITH PORTIONS OF COMPLEMENTARY CONFIGURATIONS SO THAT SAID SECTIONS MAY BE NESTED TOGETHER, EACH OF SAID SECTIONS HAVING, BETWEEN SAID OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF, A BASE PORTION AND A WALL PORTION EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THEREFROM, EACH OF SAID WALL PORTIONS HAVING TWO PAIRS OF STUDS EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM SAID OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF, A COVER COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR STRIP OF PLASTIC MATERIAL, A SEPARATE PAIR OF ARCUATE FINGERS DEPENDING FROM EACH CORNER OF SAID RECTANGULAR STRIP, SAID COVER BEING ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED BETWEEN ADJACENT WALL PORTIONS OF ADJACENT ONES OF SAID SECTIONS EACH OF SAID ARCUATE FINGERS BEING ADAPTED TO SNAP ONTO AND TO ENGAGE A SEPARATE ONE OF SAID STUDS, A SEPARATE PAIR OF GANGING, ARCUATE FINGERS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM AT LEAST ONE OF THE ENDS OF SAID STRIP, SAID PAIR OF GANGING, ARCUATE FINGERS COMPRISING AN OPEN-ENDED LOOP 